Democracy

Framing ethical perspectives

Democracy is a form of government in which political control is given to the people, whether directly or through the election of governing officials. Currently, large numbers of people have lost faith in this form of government and some elected officials have been working to dismantle democratic institutions. Our programs, events, and experts strive to better understand this development.

Featured Democracy Resources

State of global democracy, U.S. global engagement, and more

JUN 9, 2021 Podcast

Illiberal Democracy on the Rise: Examining Brazil, Hungary, & India

APR 19, 2022 Podcast

Why Democracy vs. Autocracy Misses the Point, with Jean-Marie Guéhenno

Senior Fellow Anja Kapsersen is joined by Professor Jean-Marie Guéhenno for a conversation about virtual communities and the advent of the age of data.

FEB 23, 2024 Article

What Do We Mean When We Talk About "AI Democratization"?

With numerous parties calling for "AI democratization," Elizabeth Seger, director of the CASM digital policy research hub at Demos, discusses four meanings of the term.

Explore Our Democracy Resources

APR 11, 2024 Podcast

The Ubiquity of An Aging Global Elite, with Jon Emont

"Wall Street Journal" reporter Jon Emont joins "The Doorstep" to discuss the systems and structures that keep aging leaders in power in autocracies and democracies.

MAR 19, 2024 Podcast

2054, with Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis

Ackerman & Admiral Stavridis join "The Doorstep" for a talk on AI, geopolitics, and a dark future that we must do all we can to avoid.

FEB 23, 2024 Article

What Do We Mean When We Talk About "AI Democratization"?

With numerous parties calling for "AI democratization," Elizabeth Seger, director of the CASM digital policy research hub at Demos, discusses four meanings of the term.

APR 18, 2023 Podcast

Democracy, with Claudia Chwalisz

In this episode, host Hilary Sutcliffe explores . . . democracy from another angle. Claudia Chwalisz, founder and CEO of DemocracyNext, shares a vision for a democracy that ...

Riot police

MAR 7, 2023 Podcast

How to Renew and Rebuild After a Brush with Authoritarianism

In the last few years, democracies around the world have experienced dangerous brushes with authoritarianism. The U.S., Brazil, and Sri Lanka saw their institutions ...

U.S. Army M1A2 Abrams tanks

FEB 6, 2023 Article

Ethics, Escalation, and Engagement in Ukraine and Beyond

Now that HIMAR and Patriot missiles as well as Leopard and Abrams tanks are on the way to Ukraine, NATO unity is at a high ...

OCT 5, 2022 Podcast

Is Elon Musk the Future of U.S. Foreign Policy? with Puck's Teddy Schleifer

With one tweet about the outlines of a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, Elon Musk elicited a derisive response from Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ...

MAY 25, 2022 Article

Digital Platforms & Democracy: Opportunities to Evolve Together

Social technologies, digital transformation, and related trends are often pitted against democracy. Nicholas Davis argues that there are opportunities for democracy and digital platforms to ...

MAY 3, 2022 Article

Why Democracy vs. Autocracy Misses the Point

Today, the world seems to be laser-focused on the struggle of "democracy vs. autocracy," but what if this ideological debate is missing the point? Columbia ...

APR 20, 2022 Podcast

The Doorstep: Defining the Role of the U.S. on the Global Stage

Global war, inflation, and a COVID-19 resurgence—the Biden/Harris team has been put on defense for first two quarters of 2022. This week, "Doorstep" co-hosts ...